City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the City of Highland was called to order at 6:01 p.m. by Mayor Lilburn at the Donahue Council Chambers, 27215 Base Line, Highland, California.
Invocation
The invocation was given by Pastor Lee Coe, Calvary Chapel San Bernardino Church.
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Phillip Goodrich from East Valley Water District ( EVWD).
Roll Call
Present: Lilburn, McCallon, Saldana, Timmer
Absent: Hogan
Special Presentations
Mark Cloud, Southern California Edison ( SCE) Government Affairs Manager, gave a presentation on the 2025 SCE Annual Electric System Reliability Report.
Mayor Lilburn awarded a certificate of recognition to Dr. Mike Girgis from Alapalm Animal Hospital.
Public Comment
Junior Carillo ( In Person) expressed concerns with issues affecting the community.
Jane Bouch and Chris Nielsen representing the Highland Chamber of Commerce ( In person) listed upcoming events.
City Council Consent Calendar
A MOTION was made by Councilmember McCallon, seconded by Councilmember Timmer to approve the consent calendar as submitted with the exception of pulling Agenda Item No. 12 for discussion. Motion carried on a roll call vote, 4-0, with Mayor Lilburn abstaining from Agenda Item No. 16 and Councilmember Hogan being absent.
A MOTION was made by Councilmember McCallon, seconded by Mayor Lilburn to approve Agenda Item No. 12 following discussion. Motion carried on a roll call vote, 3-0, with Councilmember Timmer dissenting and Councilmember Hogan being absent.
1. Waive the Reading of All Ordinances
Waived the reading of all Ordinances in their entirety and ready by title only.
2. Minutes - June 9, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting
Approved the Minutes as submitted.
3. Treasurers Report for May 2026
Received and filed the Treasurer's Report for May 2026.
4. Warrant Register No. 791
Approved Warrant Register No. 791; Warrants in the amount of $ 4,244,376.37 and Payroll in the amount of $ 276,138.05.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
5. Records Destruction Authorization
Approved the destruction of certain records.
6. Amendment to the Agreement with San Bernardino County for Weed Abatement ( Fire Hazard Abatement)
1. Approved the contract amendment with the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District for fire hazard abatement services ( Weed Abatement Enforcement Operations); and
2. Authorized the Mayor to sign the amended contract.
7. Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement ( Automatic Aid Agreement between the City of Highland and the U.S. Forest Service)
Authorized the Mayor and Cal Fire Chief Liz Brown to execute the Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement on behalf of the City.
8. Agreement with the San Bernardino County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector for the Collection of Special Taxes, Fees, and Assessments for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 through 2030-2031
1. Approved the Agreement with the San Bernardino County Auditor- Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector for the Collection of Special Taxes, Fees and Assessments for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 through 2030-2031; and
2. Authorized the Mayor to execute and sign the electronic version of the Agreement on behalf of the City once it becomes available.
9. Rexco Development ( San Carlo II Apartments) Request for Parkland Acquisition & Park Facilities Development Impact Fee Credit in Accordance with Highland Municipal Code Section 16.40.200, Park and Recreational Facilities
Approved a request by Rexco Development for a fifty percent ( 50%) Parkland Acquisition Park Facilities Development Impact Fee Credit in the amount of $ 437,920 ($ 1,610 credit per unit) for the San Carlo II Townhome Apartment Development generally located on the east side of Calhoun Road, approximately 500 feet north of Greenspot Road ( APN 1201- 351-29).
10. Declare One ( 1) Seat Vacant on the Historic and Cultural Preservation Board
1. Declared one ( 1) seat vacant on the Historic and Cultural Preservation Board; and
2. Directed the City Clerk to advertise the vacancy on the Historic and Cultural Preservation Board.
11. Final Map Approval - Tract No. 18893, Subdivision Improvement Agreement and Lien Agreement Between the City and Greenspot Corridor, LLC
1. Approved the Final Map of Tract No. 18893;
2. Approved the subdivision lien agreement in - lieu of bonds; and
3. Authorized the Mayor to sign the subdivision lien agreement and standard subdivision improvement agreement as approved by the City Attorney.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
12. Final Map Amendment - Tract No. 20387
Approved the amended Final Tract Map No. 20387.
13. Contract Extension with Yunex, LLC for the City of Highland Streetlight Maintenance
1. Extended the Streetlight Maintenance Contract with Yunex, LLC for one year; and
2. Approved a 2.7% increase to the contract unit prices.
14. Contract Extension with Yunex, LLC for the City of Highland Traffic Signal Maintenance
1. Extended the Traffic Signal Maintenance Contract with Yunex, LLC for five years;
2. Approved a 2.7% increase to the contract; and
3. Authorized the City Manager to approve the remaining contract extensions according to the terms of the contract.
15. Amendment to the Agreement with ABM Building Solutions for Emergency Generator System Installation for Fire Stations 541 and 542 ( Work Program, HP) Authorized the City Manager to approve up to an additional 10% contingency for each of the two fire station agreements.
16. Authorization and Purchase Agreements for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning HVAC) System Repairs for the Highland Senior Center
1. Waived formal contract procedures per Municipal Code Section 2.40.100 for which the City's best interest are served;
2. Approved the preliminary proposal from Carrier Corporation in the amount of 134,313 for HVAC improvements at the Highland Senior Center through the City's Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program Contract # 080824 - CAR; and
3. Authorized the City Manager to negotiate and sign a purchase agreement with Carrier Corporation in the amount not to exceed $ 150,000.
17. Joint Use Agreement between the City of Highland and Southern California Edison ( 9th Street and Tippecanoe Avenue)
Approved the Joint Use Agreement between the City of Highland and Southern California Edison.
18. Amendment to the Design Services Task Order with Engineering Resources of Southern California ( ERSC) for the Elder Gulch Storm Drain Project ( sdr19001) 1 Approved an amendment to the design services task order with Engineering Resources of Southern California ( ERSC), Inc. to include waterline relocation design services for Elder Gulch Storm Drain Project ( sdr19001) in the amount of $ 38,950; 2 Authorized the City Manager to approve additional contract amendments up to 10% of the revised contract amount of $ 194,715; and
3 Authorized the City Manager to enter into a Reimbursement Agreement with East Valley Water District ( EVWD), after it's been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney, for design work related to the relocation of their water pipeline.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
19. Agreement with STK Architects for Architectural Services for the Highland City Hall Improvements Project ( Work Program, HP-)
1. Authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement with STK Architects for architectural services for the City Hall Improvements Project in the amount not to exceed $ 173,654; and
2. Authorized the City Manager to approve contract amendments up to 10% of the contract amount.
City Council Public Hearing
20. Consideration of a Resolution to Adjust the Business Tax on the Extraction and/or Processing of Rock, Sand and Gravel ' Aggregate) Pursuant to Title 5 ( Business Licenses and Regulations), Chapter 5.17 ( Business License Tax on Extraction and/or Processing of Rock, Sand and Gravel ' Aggregate-), Section 5.17.040 ( Rock, Sand and Gravel Aggregate. Extraction and Processing Tax)
Mayor Lilburn opened the public hearing.
Community Development Director Mainez stated this item before you is a resolution regarding the annual adjustment of the city mining tax. For this adjustment, the city applied a Consumer Price Index ( CPI) for the Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario areas from May 2025 to May 2026, and the CPI was 3.4%. Staff recommend City Council increase the tax by 3.4%. This equates to a tax of twenty-eight ( 28) cents per ton. In accordance with government code, staff published the mining tax increase notice twice in a general circulation newspaper and notified CEMEX and Robertson's Ready Mix. Both mining operators had no objection to this tax, which will retroactively be effective July 1, 2026.
Mayor Lilburn asked if there were any questions. Seeing none, she closed the public hearing and brought it back to City Council for deliberation.
A MOTION was made by Councilmember Timmer, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Saldana to adopt Resolution No. 2026-047, fixing the Highland Business License Tax on the extraction and/or processing of rock, sand, and gravel ( aggregate) for Fiscal Year 2026- 2027. Motion carried, 4-0, with Councilmember Hogan being absent.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-047
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HIGHLAND FIXING THE
HIGHLAND BUSINESS LICENSE TAX ON THE EXTRACTION AND/OR PROCESSING OF ROCK SAND AND GRAVEL ( AGGREGATE) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027
21. Designation of Voting Delegate and Alternate Voting Delegate for the League of California Cities ( Cal Cities) Annual Conference
City Manager Zamano gave a brief review of the staff report.
A MOTION was made by Mayor Pro Tem Saldana, seconded by Councilmember McCallon to:
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
1. Appoint Mayor Pro Tem Saldana as the Voting Delegate and no Alternate Voting Delegate for the Annual Conference and Expo scheduled for September 23-25, 2026 in Anaheim; and
2. Advise City staff that the Voting Delegate is the only one attending the Annual Conference and Expo. Motion carried, 4-0, with Councilmember Hogan being absent.
22. City Manager Report and Comments ( Work Program, Regional/Legislative/ Development Issues, Subcommittees, etc.)
City Manager Zamano stated the Highland Sheriffs Department for the month of June received 3,496 calls for service, made 284 reports, 95 arrests, issued 44 citations, conducted 346 traffic enforcement stops, responded to 47 traffic collisions which included hit and runs, 35 transient calls, and 16 towed vehicles.
The Highland Fire Department for the month of June received 635 calls for service, some of which included: 511 medical aids, 26 traffic collisions, 6 structure fires, 13 other fires, 3 vehicle fires and 33 public service assistance.
The Administrative Services/Finance Department for the month of June issued 45 business licenses, renewed 72 business licenses, issued 122 dog licenses, 58 yard sale permits, and 208 account payable checks.
The Public Works Department announced the City Hall Fence and Gates Project is near completion and is expected to have the gates operational by July 30, 2026.
The City's two ( 2) new electric vehicles purchased in February officially arrived and will be rolled out in the next few weeks. In anticipation of these vehicles, the City installed new electric vehicle chargers that are designated for the City's new and existing EV fleet.
The artwork for the SR - 210 and Base Line Interchange pilasters was successfully installed on June 18, 2026. The final project work not only beautifies a major corridor but also honors Highland's agricultural roots and community identity. More details on the project are available in the City's June 25 newsletter and can be found on the website.
On Monday, July 27, from 12:00 p.m. to 5;00 p.m., a Blood Drive will be held at the Highland Police Station located at 26985 Base Line.
On Tuesday, August 4, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. the city will host its National Night Out event at the Highland Police Station located at 26985 Base Line.
For the month of June, Burrtec completed 249 illegal dumping work orders.
On July 7, the Planning Commission approved a new for - sale condominium development project proposed by Ironside Building Company located at the north-east corner of the Greenspot Village & Marketplace specific plan ( Planning Area 2). The proposal consists of 35 three-story buildings encompassing 240 condo units, various recreational amenities including a small clubhouse, a pool, two ( 2) dog parks, game terrace, paseo, and open green space. This project is the last residential entitlement to be approved in the Greenspot Village & Marketplace Specific Plan, which brings the overall number of entitled units within
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
the Specific Plan to 1,206. Staff anticipates the rough grading and construction to start early next year.
The evening of July 4, 2026, the Highland Fireworks Enforcement effort was conducted from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The effort included teams consisting of the City's Code Enforcement Officers and Management Staff. In addition, two ( 2) members of the CalFire Enforcement team assisted with this year's effort. As a result, approximately 80 administrative citations with fines of $ 2,000 were identified. The data collected is being reviewed by Code Enforcement to determine the final amount of citations that will be issued. The fines will be collected with the help of the city's third party vendor, Data Ticket.
Highland's newest convenient delivery and carryout restaurant, Marco's Pizza is now open for business in the Greenspot Crossings Shopping Center located at 27828 Greenspot Road, northeast of Greenspot Road and SR - 210 on - ramp. Marco's Pizza has a variety of specialty pizzas, subs, wings, salads, pizza bowls, pizzoli, calzones and other local delights. Order with their app or at Marcos.com.
Anthem Gas Station and convenience store on Greenspot Road received a temporary occupancy permit on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The related car wash and other non - health and safety items still need to be completed before they receive their final occupancy permit.
The convenience store offers Wetzel's Pretzels and there are plans in the works for an El Pollo Loco restaurant to occupy the drive-thru portion of the convenience store in the future.
Stallant Health and Wellness is a new health care business located at 27811 Greenspot Road within the Lowe's Shopping Center. This new health and wellness business places a strong emphasis on prevention and lifestyle remedies over band - aid fixes. The ambience of their office is designed to ensure comfort without the usual stress of health care environments.
America First Credit Union located in the Greenspot Crossing Shopping Center on Greenspot Road received their occupancy permit last week and are making arrangements to officially open to the public on Monday, July 13, 2026. The new credit union is located next to the new Marco's Pizza.
The city welcomes all the new businesses home to Highland.
23. Councilmember Comments ( Agency/Committee/AB 1234 Reports, District Updates, etc.) Councilmember McCallon thanked staff for a successful Fourth of July parade. It was encouraging to observe community participation.
Mayor Lilburn thanked all staff for a great job on the Fourth of July parade. She was impressed with all the bystanders who attended this year. She observed staff attending the fireworks show event held at Immanuel Baptist Church. She gave the welcoming speech, and sat among the audience. She thanked the community for their understanding regarding the malfunction of the fireworks show. The city was not at fault as this pyrotechnics company had been used in the past. She commended Police and Fire Departments during the Fourth of July celebrations. She recognized them for having a demanding month, managing incidents such as head-on collisions, injured animals and other emergencies. Police and fire personnel are currently experiencing increased
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
workload and she wanted to thank them for their dedicated service. Additionally, she thanked Grocery Outlet. They had an event on Saturday, July 11, 2026, to raise funds for a nonprofit organization. Funds being raised will go to the Highland Senior Center.
Additionally, she announced a new section in the newsletter, " The Good Neighbor Guide" for homeowners, offering helpful advice on small actions residents can take to maintain a well - kept property within the neighborhood. Lastly, she was impressed with the Base Line Interchange artwork completion.
Mayor Pro Tem Saldana thanked staff and volunteers for the Fourth of July parade. It was his first time participating and was pleasantly surprised how organized and well attended the event was. He looks forward to future parades. Additionally, he is disappointed at the outcome of many fireworks citations. He inquired with staff on the amount of citations handed out?
City Manager Zamano confirmed 80 citations, and staff is vetting through them.
Mayor Pro Tem Saldana stated the number is an increase from last year. He had previously communicated to Mayor Lilburn in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July holiday there was a reduced number of illegal fireworks observed during the nighttime hours. He believed the citation issued last year indicated the measures were effective. However, it appears this may not have been the case. He was disappointed as he did not believe the public has fully understood the dangers associated with setting off fireworks. The neighboring City of San Bernardino had numerous structure fires occurring overnight due to illegal fireworks and he hopes the community understands the message of how dangerous it is. He visited Marco's Pizza and found the quality of the pizza excellent. He is happy to hear Anthem Gas Station was able to obtain a temporary occupancy permit and stopped by Wetzel's Pretzels last Friday, and they had a long line for pretzels. Lastly, he will be attending National Night Out on August 4, 2026 and it will be his first - year attending.
Announcements
None
Closed Session
At 7:13 p.m. City Attorney Marroquin read the City into closed session regarding the following:
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Name of case: City of Highland v. Pathak, et al, San Bernardino County Case Number CIVSB2521254
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - POTENTIAL LITIGATION
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4)
A point has been reached, where, based on existing facts and circumstances, the City needs to decide whether to initiate litigation.
At 7:31 p.m. City Council reconvened into open session.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026
City Attorney Marroquin stated the City Council met in closed session on the City of Highland v. Pathak case. No reportable action was taken. City Council also met in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4). Direction was provided to staff, but no reportable action was taken.
Adjourn
Mayor Lilburn adjourned the meeting at 7:32 p.m. in memory of Cheryl Ann Pfeifer, Anthony Williams, and Dick Ridell.
Submitted By: Approved By:
Alondra noz, CMC
City Cler
Penny Li
Mayor